EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
The Lady Redskins had to dig out of a hole twice but could not dig out a third time in a 68-57 Sub-State championship loss to Wichita East Saturday in The Big House.
The Aces took a 19-12 lead after the first quarter and pushed that to 21-12 early in the second quarter.
But the Lady Redskins pushed the ball inside the lane to Maliyah Mullens, and Shamari Lewis cut to the basket, and with 5:21 to go the Lady Redskins cut the lead to 23-18. But the Aces put together another run and after an Ace three, Liberal trailed 32-33.
By halftime, Liberal cut the lead to 34-26 and had a strong start to the second half to force a 36-36 tie with 3:48 remaining in the third period. But the Aces put together a 9-0 run to end the quarter with a 45-36 lead.
East maintained the nine-point advantage for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter until Lewis sparked an 11-1 run that was capped by a Kylie Rhine three pointer that gave the Lady Redskins a 53-52 lead with 1:37 to play. But the Aces answered with a basket and was fouled, and after the three-point play East had a 55-53 lead.
Liberal had a chance to tie with 13.7 seconds to play but missed a pair of free throws, and after a foul, the Aces also missed a pair of free throws.
The Lady Redskins brought the ball quickly down the court but turned it over out of bounds.
The Lady Redskins defended the inbounds play and drew a five-second call for a turnover.
Liberal coach Brandi Fowler took a time out to set up an inbound play under the basket, and Liberal got the ball to Lewis who drove to the basket and drew three defenders. She dished the ball to a wide open Mullens who hit the game-tying basket to force overtime.
But the Lady Redskins stumbled in overtime early and never recovered in a 68-57 loss.
Lewis led Liberal with 17 points. Mullens scored 13, and Delgado had 11.
The Lady Redskins will return starters Lewis, Rhine and Mullens for next year
